What are disbursements?

Legal disbursements are expenses incurred by the law firm or conveyancer on behalf of the client during the legal process.

Disbursements are third party fees for expenses such as:

• searches,
• courier fees,
• other professionals’ fees ie barrister, experts
• and other necessary expenses.

These costs are paid by the law firm to third-party service providers and are typically passed on to the client as part of the overall cost of the legal services. If you are charged on a fixed fee model you may not have to pay for disbursements, or they could be capped at a certain amount.

Professional fees are the charges for the services provided by the law firm’s legal professionals, such as solicitors and paralegals. These fees are charged based on a fixed fee or time charge arrangement. It can be scaled on the expertise required to complete the work and will vary depending on the complexity of the legal matter.

Disbursements are separate from professional fees and are noted on your invoice separately. As a part of a conveyancing matter you will most likely have a fixed professional fee and the disbursements are what is required and is usually estimated only.

Understanding the difference between them can help you better budget for your overall legal expenses. It’s a good idea to discuss these costs with your lawyer upfront, so you are aware of any potential expenses before proceeding with the purchase. Also remember if there are issues that arise or you choose additional services the fee will increase.

At Conveyancing Depot we always look to keep our clients disbursements at a minimum and ensure the cost of conveyancing is kept low.

If you need help with finding out how much conveyancing costs speak to one of our conveyancers or lawyers today for a quote.